My name is Armando Vias, and I am a blind advocate from Georgia, United States.

 

I have created this petition to let the Macon-Bibb County Government, and Macon Mayor Robert Reichert know that we need free AIRA Access for blind tourists/customers.

 

What is AIRA?

 

AIRA is an app, designed for the blind and the visually-impaired in mind. AIRA helps blind and low-visioned people get tasks done, whether navigating an inaccessible website, reading signs that are not in braille, etc. AIRA consists of highly-trained agents that will help the blind and the visually-impaired community. AIRA is free for all blind users for up-to five-minutes per day. AIRA has locations, called AIRA Access locations, so blind customers/travelers can use AIRA for an unlimited amount of time. To learn more about how AIRA works, please visit this website.

 

Here is my story. Back in August, I contacted the Middle Georgia Regional Airport via email and Facebook Messenger. The good news is that I got a response from the Middle Georgia Regional Airport, saying: "Armando, we appreciate you bringing this service to our attention. We will take AIRA into consideration and discuss potential integration with the American Association of Airport Executives, to determine how it could benefit the Middle Georgia Regional Airport. Thank you for your support."

 

Three months later, nothing has changed! On Friday, I sent a message to the Middle Georgia Regional Airport about the status. Well, I got no response whatsoever. I then called the Middle Georgia Regional Airport directly. What the operator said made me really upset. They said that they are not interested in the service because they met the REQUIREMENTS for accessibility at the airport! I also wrote on Lester Miller For Mayor's Facebook Page about this issue as well. After I did some research on the Airport, there seems to be no ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) Coordinator! This is a shame on the Airport for not having someone who specializes in accessibility services for the Airport!

 

On Monday, November 23, 2020, I sent an email to the Middle Georgia Regional Airport. I got the following response:

 

"I appreciate your concerns about blind advocacy at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.  We have received your multiple Facebook messages and emails pertaining to the AIRA Access Program and we have discussed the potential of implementing the program at our airport.  Given the size of our airport, the number of commercial flights currently offered, the hands-on care that we are willing and able to provide, and the current ADA measures in place for blind advocacy, we feel that the program is not pertinent to our current operation.  Additionally, we have not programmed AIRA into our current budget and will need to discuss purchasing a subscription to the program with Macon-Bibb County before doing so. To answer your question about an ADA Coordinator, the airport is owned and operated by Macon-Bibb County and thus we fall under their purview for ADA compliance.  If you have any questions about ADA compliance in Macon-Bibb County, please contact the County at your convenience. As we have explained several times before, we have Braille signs posted throughout the terminal facility and are more than happy to provide hands-on, escort assistance if you please contact the airport administration office or your airline of choice, prior to your visit to our airport.  Airport and/or airline personnel are available from 5:00am to 8:00pm daily to assist as necessary. I hope this helps to answer your questions and concerns about blind advocacy at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.  If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.  Thank you."

 

Here are my thoughts to this issue! How would you feel if you were put into a wheelchair, just because you are blind when you are traveling through the airport? Could you imagine navigating the airport, or other places all by yourself, with the AIRA App instead? Imagine the Independence that you will receive when you use AIRA! I don't want anyone who is blind to end up in a wheelchair at any airport or any other place.

 

Other airports, such as the International Airport in Baltimore, has a free AIRA Access Location. If you agree that we need an AIRA Access location at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport, and possibly Bibb County, please sign this petition. Your signature will go a long way in making this possible at my local airport, and also in Bibb County!

 

Want to tell your story about an airport experience? Please contact me via phone at 478-845-4365

 

Thank you.